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If you could hire an efficiency expert, what would one say?
Business-efficiency consultant Andrew Jensen finds himself repeating the
same things to his clients over and over again.

Jensen, president & CEO of Shrewsbury, Pa.-based Sozo Firm
Inc., goes into businesses, schools and organizations and makes
recommendations on what their leaders can do streamline
operations and increase productivity.

1. Trim the overhead. Look at all of your fixed
costs with a critical eye. Business owners operating for more
than a dozen years tend to get into a routine with their overhead
expense budget. Just because you have spent $100 on a particular
good or service does not mean that you should keep doing it, says
Jensen. "I encourage business owners to evaluate, evaluate,
evaluate."

For example, look at your marketing budget, suggests Jensen. Ask
yourself: Is the marketing that I am doing really bringing in
more customers? If you are outsourcing your advertising to
another agency, be sure that you are corresponding with the ad
agency regularly to keep tabs on their progress, says Jensen. If
you have been spending money to advertise on the radio, consider
giving out a separate web address on the radio ads so that you
can track whether the money you are spending is bringing in any
new customers, says Jensen.

With regards to the physical goods included in overhead, if you
have a broken piece of equipment, consider repairing -- instead
of replacing -- it, says Jensen. Decrease the amount of inventory
you lose by installing a new security system. Overhaul your
stock-management system to reduce waste.

2. Train your staff. Entrepreneurs often don't
spend enough time training staff, says Jensen. Even when a small
business hires a competent candidate with the best
qualifications, if he or she doesn't spending enough time
training, then the company isn't likely to get the most out of
the new hire. Since staff costs money, you want to make sure to
get the most that you can out of every employee.

Training does not end at the point of hire, says Jensen. You need
to continue to devote resource to making sure your staff is fully
up to speed on any new systems, operating systems or procedures.
Entrepreneurs and managers tend to think of training as lost time
or a waste of money. "They don't really focus on the benefits,"
says Jensen. "It will make a profound impact on how efficient
your staff is."

3. Cancel meetings. Technology has eliminated
the need for many meetings, says Jensen. Often client meetings
can happen over video conference to save money on travel
expenses. Further, traditional meetings don't allow all types of
thinkers to have an equal chance to respond. Workers who need
time to read, think and digest before responding can be at a
disadvantage amid the spontaneity of a meeting. While many
meetings can be replaced by a digital communication, there is
still a place for some face-to-face meeting time, says Jensen, to
foster community and camaraderie among the staff.

4. Get organized. If the boss isn't focused,
then the business won't be, either.

First and foremost, do the simple stuff: Clean out your desk,
briefcase and files.

Cut out the digital noise: Turn off all messaging systems for
a few hours at a time. Create a habit of checking messages every
few hours. Between times, stay focused on the task at hand.

Prioritize: Make to-do lists. Avoid the urge to grab for the
low-hanging fruit first. Do what needs to be done first, first.

Assign specific tasks to specific times of day. Do the
hardest mental work when you have learned you are the most
focused. Stagger rewards throughout your day to keep you on
track.

Get your homelife cleaned up. "If a person's home life is
hectic and stressful then their productivity at work is also
going to suffer," says Jensen. Eat right, exercise and get enough
sleep.